The sign outside Tribe Boutique this week reads, “Everything $15,” and sales like this are not unusual for the store.
Store owner Clifton Fadal said the affordable prices are what make Tribe a smart alternative to other women’s clothing stores in Waco that sell similar styles.
“First and foremost, it’s our prices that set us apart,” Fadal said. “We have the best prices in town. There’s absolutely no doubt about that.”
No matter what sales are happening inside, Tribe always features a $10 rack of clothes on display outside the store.
Tribe’s current sale will continue through the end of March and promises that none of the store’s merchandise will be priced higher than $15. Some accessory items and candles cost as low at $10.
Fadal opened the store in September after the owner of the Dallas store Milk and Honey told him she had storage units full of extra clothes from her store.
“She had accumulated a lot of excess clothing over the years,” Fadal said. “So I bought that from her at a discounted rate and decided to open another store.”
Coppell junior Megan Moore has been working at Tribe since October. She said some of her favorite outfits have come from the store at a low cost, thanks to her employee discount.
“I was actually able to get two pairs of jeans, a shirt and a dress for $60,” Moore said.
Tribe Boutique is located on Bagby Avenue in the Campus Centre, taking the place of the old UBS bookstore. According to Moore, the store’s proximity to campus has been bringing more and more students to the store.
“I think that people are starting to become more aware of it,” Moore said. “Usually when you tell people where it is, you have to say it’s by The Mix.”
Fadal said that because of the store’s location, many customers first learn about Tribe when they see it on their ways to and from class.
One of those customers, Georgetown junior Jonna Hardy, said that’s exactly how she first learned about the boutique. Now, she often shops at Tribe for events such as football games and vacations.
“I was walking home one day, and I saw their big opening sign and just thought, “That’s calling my name,” Hardy said.
Hardy, an apparel merchandising major, described Tribe as a “fast-fashion” boutique, where styles move quickly from the runway to the shelves in order to keep styles current.
Fadal agreed that despite the low prices, Tribe’s clothing is fashion-forward. According to him, Tribe’s clothing is based on the styles worn by models in Europe.
“It’s almost too fashionable for Waco,” Fadal said. “It’s kind of ahead of its time.”
